The answer is no,
based on physics.
The answer is yes,
based only on
wishful thinking !
Maximum
wind and solar
efficiencies
remain
subordinate
to old rules
of nature.
Their current
performance
leaves little room
for future gains.
The physics
boundary for
a wind turbine,
the Betz Limit,
is a
maximum capture
of 60% of the
kinetic energy
in moving air.
Commercial
wind turbines
can exceed 40%
... when the wind
is blowing.
The physics boundary
for silicon photovoltaic
(PV) cells, is called the
Shockley-Queisser Limit,
a maximum conversion
of 34% of solar photons
into electrons.
The best commercial
PV technology today
exceeds 26%.
The modern
wind turbine
was made possible by
hydrocarbon-based
fiberglass blades.
An Exxon
researcher
invented the
lithium battery
... containing
minerals
obtained by
hydrocarbon
-fueled mining.
Hydrocarbons
can produce energy
when needed.
The best wind
and solar systems,
in optimum locations,
produce energy
only 25%-30%
of the time, or less,
averaged over a year.
Conventional
natural gas
plants have
availability in the
80%-95% range,
and often higher.
Every kWh of intermittent
wind and solar output,
requires an equal backup
fossil fuel supply, to keep
the power grid balanced.
Plus high costs of
long transmission lines
to rural solar and wind
farms.
And power losses
from transferring
electricity from
remote rural sites
to urban areas.
World energy
consumption
continues
to increase,
Wind and solar
account for only 2%
of global demand.
Meanwhile,
hydrocarbons,
oil, natural gas,
and coal,
supply 84%
of global energy.